Per the NHL:
2026-27 NHL Regular-Season Schedule Will Be Announced July 16 at 1 p.m. ET
Opening Night Matchups Will Be Set on July 15; Each Team to Play Two Additional Divisional Games, Expanding Season to 84 Games Per Team and 1,344 Overall
NEW YORK (July 7, 2026) – The National Hockey League (NHL) today detailed plans for announcing the 2026-27 season schedule.
On Wednesday, July 15, the League will unveil opening night matchups, which will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN in the U.S. and on Sportsnet in Canada. The announcement will be made during the day, prior to the 2026 ESPY Awards (8 p.m. ET, ABC), that will feature several NHL nominees, including the 2026 Olympic Gold Medal-winning USA’s Men’s Ice Hockey team for Best Team. Wednesday’s announcement will also detail the League’s 2026-27 signature events.
The following day, on Thursday, July 16, the complete 2026-27 NHL regular-season schedule is set to be announced at 1 p.m. ET. Coming off the 2025-26 season that saw record-breaking viewership and attendance, the 2026-27 regular-season schedule will feature 1,344 games – 84 games per team – which includes two additional divisional games per team.
The @NHL has released plans for announcing the 2026-27 schedule.
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) July 7, 2026
Full details: https://t.co/v5etZKMIif pic.twitter.com/mhr0e1rZjs